The Tempest

Prospero. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
1700Your compensation makes amends, for I
Have given you here a third of mine own life,
Or that for which I live; who once again
I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love and thou
1705Hast strangely stood the test here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise
And make it halt behind her.
1710

Prospero. Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchased take my daughter: but
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
1715All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow: but barren hate,
Sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew
1720The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.

Ferdinand. As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue and long life,
1725With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion.
Our worser genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into lust, to take away
The edge of that day's celebration
1730When I shall think: or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or Night kept chain'd below.

Prospero. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
Did worthily perform; and I must use you
In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,
1740O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place:
Incite them to quick motion; for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art: it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
1745

Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate;
1795And some donation freely to estate
On the blest lovers.

Ceres. Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
1800The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.

Iris. Of her society
Be not afraid: I met her deity
1805Cutting the clouds towards Paphos and her son
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but vain;
1810Mars's hot minion is returned again;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more but play with sparrows
And be a boy right out.

Ceres. High'st queen of state,
1815Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.

[Enter JUNO]

Juno. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be
And honour'd in their issue.
1820

[They sing:]

Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings upon you.
1825

Ceres. Earth's increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty,
Vines and clustering bunches growing,
Plants with goodly burthen bowing;
Spring come to you at the farthest
1830In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity and want shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Ferdinand. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmoniously charmingly. May I be bold
1835To think these spirits?

Prospero. Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.

Ferdinand. Let me live here ever;
1840So rare a wonder'd father and a wife
Makes this place Paradise.
[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on]employment]

Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring brooks,
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
1850Leave your crisp channels and on this green land
Answer your summons; Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.
[Enter certain Nymphs]1855You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow and be merry:
Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.
1860[Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they]join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance;
towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts
suddenly, and speaks; after which, to a
strange, hollow, and confused noise, they
1865heavily vanish]

Prospero. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates
Against my life: the minute of their plot
Is almost come.
1870[To the Spirits]Well done! avoid; no more!

Ferdinand. This is strange: your father's in some passion
That works him strongly.

Miranda. Never till this day
1875Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.

Prospero. You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
1880Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve
1885And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my, brain is troubled:
1890Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:
If you be pleased, retire into my cell
And there repose: a turn or two I'll walk,
To still my beating mind.

Ariel. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
So fun of valour that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabour;
1910At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd
their ears,
Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses
As they smelt music: so I charm'd their ears
That calf-like they my lowing follow'd through
1915Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss and thorns,
Which entered their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.
1920

Prospero. This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves.

Prospero. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as with age his body uglier grows,
1930So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,
Even to roaring.
[Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c]Come, hang them on this line.
[PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible. Enter]1935CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet]

Caliban. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

Stephano. Monster, your fairy, which you say is
a harmless fairy, has done little better than
1940played the Jack with us.

Trinculo. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at
which my nose is in great indignation.

Stephano. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take
a displeasure against you, look you,—
1945

Stephano. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that,
monster, but an infinite loss.

Trinculo. That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your
harmless fairy, monster.
1955

Stephano. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears
for my labour.

Caliban. Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,
This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island
1960Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker.

Caliban. The dropsy drown this fool I what do you mean
To dote thus on such luggage? Let's alone
And do the murder first: if he awake,
From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches,
1975Make us strange stuff.

Stephano. Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line,
is not this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under
the line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your
hair and prove a bald jerkin.
1980

Stephano. I thank thee for that jest; here's a garment for't:
wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of this
country. 'Steal by line and level' is an excellent
pass of pate; there's another garment for't.
1985

Trinculo. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and
away with the rest.

Caliban. I will have none on't: we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villanous low.
1990

Stephano. Monster, lay-to your fingers: help to bear this
away where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you
out of my kingdom: go to, carry this.

Prospero. Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
Lie at my mercy all mine enemies:
2010Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou
Shalt have the air at freedom: for a little
Follow, and do me service.